My favorite part of any holiday dinner event is thinking of ways to set the table. And Valentine’s Day is no different!! Last year, I was especially excited for my Valentine’s Day dinner because my sweet mother had given me a set of blush pink stemware for Christmas. These glasses were given to her by her mother years before, so I love that there’s a history to them! My aunt Gayle also gave me the most beautiful blush pink tablecloth that had been hers. I guess they all knew my favorite color is Blush Pink!!! I couldn’t wait to put it all together!

Giving party favors is a must for me and flowers both make the table look pretty and is a take-a-way that everyone loves!!! I typically go to Trader Joe’s since they always have great flowers at reasonable prices and wonderful, little items, perfect for making each place setting special. They had these adorable mini rose bushes in ceramic posts with heart embellishments, so I got this for the girls and a box of chocolate truffles for the guys. One of my client’s daughters started her own in-home bakery, Maddiecakes (everything she makes is delicious!!), and I asked her to make the adorable xo cookies, which were a huge hit!

One day I will get out my china… but I really don’t like washing everything by hand, so I typically use my white everyday chargers and dishes for a dinner event. I wanted some pink salad plates to add a bit more festivity, and I scored these German plates with silver engraving from one of my discount shopping sites! They only had 8 left so that was my Valentine’s Day dinner party limit!!!

I inherited these pretty pink napkins from my grandmother, Florene!! Tied with a silver and pink ribbon, they bring out the colors of the salad plates. The adorable little butter dishes were borrowed from my mom’s Haviland china collection!

To carry my pink theme into the rest of the house, I added a few little touches! I set up the bar with pink lemonade and soda water from Trader Joe’s, something I always keep on hand. For everyday, I like the regular sparkling lemonade, but for Valentines Day, the pink is perfect!!

I added a blush pink rose to go beside my pink glass bowl in the living room!!

Even though I focused mostly on roses, I can never resist tulips and sprinkled a few around the house!

One of my guests texted me the morning of the dinner asking what she could bring. It hit me then –everything! Haha, I hadn’t thought about the meal, just the table!!! I quickly planned the menu:

Valentine’s Day Menu
First Course
Lobster Bisque from Costco
Salad with Heart-Shaped Garnishes

Main Course
Super Easy Grilled Tenderloin
Balsamic Roasted Veggies

Dessert
Fresh Fruit over Ice Cream
served with Mini Heart Cookies from Maddiecakes

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To make the salad seem a bit more festive, I used this idea from Jo and Sue and cut some of the veggies using a small, heart-shaped cookie cutter!

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For the bread, I served a rosemary Italian bread from Trader Joe’s, but I love these heart-shaped biscuits too!! Best part – they’re gluten-free, sweet potato biscuits! I’ll have to try them this year… here’s the recipe.

I loved the medley of colors these oven-roasted veggies added to the plate! I didn’t follow a recipe, but here’s what I did:

Balsamic Roasted Veggies

1) cut up an assortment of veggies to about the same size. You can really use any veggies you want, but make sure they’ll all cook in about the same amount of time. I used onions, Brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, cauliflower and potatoes.

2) lay out the veggies on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with fresh rosemary, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss in high-quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

3) Roast in a 450-degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’ve reached the desired tenderness.

We all had a great evening! My dining room only comfortably seats 6, so for bigger gatherings, I use the breakfast table which has expansion leaves. This was nice because everyone had plenty of room!!

It was so fun spending Valentine’s Day with several couples and celebrating at home!! I may turn this Valentine’s Day dinner party into an annual tradition!

So cute is Isai’s (my operations manager) new baby girl Charlotte!  Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day shared with your loved ones! If you’re looking for more V-Day dinner ideas, check out this post from 2014. And if you’re wanting a creative idea to show that special someone how much you care, why not try a scavenger hunt?! Till next week!

If you are interested in hosting an event or carrying the book  please don’t hesitate to reach out! Email Karly@segretofinishes.com for all inquiries! We love to visit new cities!!!